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DUBUQUE, Iowa – Hartig Drug Co., a key part of the Dubuque and tri-state communities, announced its 120th anniversary will take place in September 2024. Founded in 1904, Hartig Drug Company has grown and adapted over the years, always staying true to its core values of personalized customer care and high-quality service.
The store’s legacy began with A.J. Hartig. A.J. completed pharmacy school at Northwestern in May of 1904. He received a request from Otto Ruete, a local Dubuque druggist who, in his failing health, asked A.J. to take over his pharmacy on Locust Street in Dubuque, IA. A.J. accepted the offer at just 22 years of age and rebranded the location with the “Hartig” name on September 1, 1904.
From the start, A.J. was a pioneer in the industry, offering a variety of products for Dubuque residents. He continued to blaze trails by encouraging his sister, Olga, to become one of the first female pharmacists in Iowa. Olga managed Hartig Drug Company’s location in East Dubuque, IL. A.J. Hartig’s sons, Ken and Dave, played a big part in the business’s continued success through the 1960s, establishing pharmacy locations and expanding services.
In 1973, Dick Hartig returned to Hartig Drug Co. to operate and later purchase the business from family members. The business continued to grow, and today Hartig Drug has over 25 locations in Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Hartig Drug Company continues to provide friendly and trustworthy pharmacy services to the tri-state communities along with a selection of convenient health, over-the-counter, and locally sourced items. In addition, Hartig Drug Co. owns and operates Finley Hartig Homecare (medical equipment) and Hartig Pharmacy Services and TrueMed Pharmacy (institutional pharmacy services) to meet health needs in the community.
As the oldest, continuously operating family-owned group of pharmacies in the nation, the family and employees have provided pharmaceutical services and a wide range of health products for four generations. Throughout those decades, Hartig Drug Company has experienced its own challenges and national challenges like the Spanish Flu, Great Depression and two world wars. Today, pharmacies face health care insurance conglomerates and monopolies that create challenges with reimbursement rates and rural pharmacy access. Despite these challenges, Hartig Drug Co. remains dedicated to overcoming obstacles and helping the communities they serve.
The Hartig family is excited to celebrate this remarkable milestone and looks forward to continuing to provide excellent pharmacy services to those in the tri-state area for years to come. Finally, the Hartig Drug Company and family would like to thank our communities, employees, customers and patients. You put your trust in us to take care of your prescription needs in a convenient and trustworthy manner, thank you for that privilege to serve.
